Don't Want to Love You in the Dark
by EriChristine
Summary: The war is over and Draco finds himself still consumed by thoughts of one witch, just as he has for most of his life. Once he gets an offer from the Ministry he can't refuse, he ends up in close quarters with the very woman that haunts his dreams.


_He began to remove his wand from his robes, ready to hex the crazy witch carving into the screaming girl. She was laughing manically, reveling in the sounds of pain as she marked the defenseless girl for life. Marked against her will, for life, just like him._

His eyes shot open and he was suddenly very aware of the heat under the down duvet. He threw it off with a grunt, allowing the natural coolness of the room bring his temperature down.  
Five years later and her screams still haunted him. Five years and he regretted not acting fast enough. Her eyes had been pleading, his reaction too slow. He could have finally done one good fucking thing for her after everything, but he took too long and her friends did what he had planned. Again, her boys to the rescue.  
He glanced at the clock and swore. 3:15 am. For the fifth night in a row he was awake. Same time, always the same time.  
With a sigh, he sat up and reached for the small box inside his bedside table top drawer. He sifted through the clippings he'd cut from the Daily Prophet, taking his favorite ones out. He stared at her, right into the liveliness of her eyes that only moving photographs could capture. He stared until the image of those eyes begging him for help were replaced by the ones in his hand and soon after he fell into a pleasantly dreamless sleep.

A tap on his window once the sun had come up woke him. He frowned at the owl on the opposite side of the glass. It was from the Ministry. After forcing himself out of bed and letting the owl in for a rest and little treat, he made his way to the kitchen of his current residence; a small flat in muggle London walking distance to The Leaky Cauldron.  
Wordless and wand-lessly, the coffee started making and bread was toasting. He sat down to read the letter.

 _Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

 _The Minister of Magic requests your presence at 12 o'clock this afternoon. You will be met by a representative stationed by the floo network to escort you to his office. Do not be late._

He scoffed and tossed the note onto the table. What could Kingsley possibly want from him? He had kept quiet after his trial, not sentenced to Azkaban or house arrest; he and his mother had been cleared.  
 _Another good thing she did for me that I cannot repay her for._  
He wanted to live on his own, not ready to go back to the Manor. His mother wanted to get back as fast as possible to begin her reconstruction. She dreamt to erase all that had happened there. A promise that he didn't know if he could keep was made to his mother. He hoped he could move back there when she was finished, for her sake.  
A cup and plate with buttered toast appeared before him. The black liquid burned on the way down, the bitterness soothing him. His taste for tea after the war had dissipated; he only drank it when his mother visited. The clock struck eleven and he decided it would be best if he got dressed and flooed to the Ministry.  
He put on the only business type robes he owned and went to the fireplace. Floo powder in hand he stated, "The Ministry of Magic" and was engulfed in green flames.

"Where is that git?" Harry muttered as he looked at his watch and the empty floo for the third time since he'd arrived there to meet Malfoy. It was 11:53 and he still wasn't there yet. Another minute ticked by and suddenly the floo lit up and out he stepped. Harry honestly never thought he'd see Malfoy again, especially in his place of work.  
"Potter," he greeted with a slight nod.  
"About time, Malfoy. Follow me."  
Harry noted that his former childhood enemy did not have the same hardness in his eyes or smug smirk on his face. The man looked serious, as if he was just someone being taken for a visit with the Minister. They didn't speak until they reached Kingsley's office.  
"Eleven fifty-eight. Not bad, Malfoy. I thought for sure you'd have been late."  
"Your confidence in me has always been so touching, Potter. Thanks for the walk. Also, congratulations on being made an Auror. Gods know you're good for it." No sarcasm. No bite. No sneer. Just an exhausted remark and what sounded like a sincere compliment.  
And with that, he went into the office, leaving a dumfounded Harry Potter outside the door.  
Kingsley looked up over his glasses as he closed the door behind him.  
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. Right on time. Please, take a seat."  
He sat directly across from the Minister, aware that it was just the two of them in the room and Kingsley was smiling too brightly at him.  
"I assume you are wondering why I have summoned you here today, Draco."  
Surprised at the use of his first name, he nodded wide-eyed.  
"I have a proposition for you. I know you're living your quiet life alone, keeping in line your family's business and affairs from your flat, but I would like to see you back in the wizarding world, helping change and finish rebuilding with the rest of us. I want to give you the opportunity to bring honor back to your family name."  
The Minister watched the young man before him carefully. At the mention of restoring his family's name, the grey pools around his pupils turned to ice. No doubt he was thinking of how his father ruined everything for his mother and him. Malfoy was now a cowardly name, a looked on with pity and anger name. Whatever Kingsley was offering would help him bring that name to at least one who people in their world could look at with respect. Maybe he could even repay _her_ if he took this offer.  
He looked the Minister directly in the eye. "Whatever you have for me, I will accept."

 _The Department of Magical Education_  
If someone had told him five years ago that he'd end up in a field that connected him to Hogwarts, he would have laughed in their face. But there he was, standing with the Minister himself, fresh off the elevator.  
He followed Kingsley into the department and straight to the director's office.  
 _"I need a Deputy Director for the Department of Magical Education. The head of the department is brilliant, but I know with an influx of students that the Ministry hasn't seen in so long, a second in command would be useful. Considering your marks when you attended Hogwarts, I think you're perfect for the job."_  
The Minister knocked before letting himself and Draco into the office.  
"Kingsley! What a surprise!"  
He stiffened instantly behind the Minister. He knew that voice anywhere. Kingsley approached the desk and he could see her clearly. She was standing, leaning over the back of her chair rather than sitting in it. She had her hair in a frizzy bun with a few stray curls, a clear sign she was working hard.  
"I've hired a Deputy Director for your department to give you a hand. I assume you remember Draco Malfoy?"  
She straightened up and walked around to meet him where he stood, holding out her hand.  
"Nice to see you, Malfoy. You look well."  
He shook firmly. "As do you. I should have known you would be the lead of this department."  
A genuine compliment from Draco Malfoy? Hermione never thought she'd see the day. A small blush graced her cheeks and he smiled for what had to be the first time in five years.  
He returned to Kingsley's office to fill out paperwork. By three in the afternoon he was officially Deputy Director. The Minister showed him to an office adjacent to Hermione's that he could claim at his own. There was also a sliding door that connected the two rooms for easy communication between them.  
"Mr. Malfoy, you start tomorrow morning at nine o'clock sharp. I'm sure Ms. Granger will wait for you by the floo and take you to your department until you learn your way around."  
They shook hands and he returned to his flat. Working side by side with Hermione Granger. He couldn't believe the odds. He immediately owled his mother and told her in the short, to the point way of his all that had happened. Later on in the evening he received her response; she was so happy for him and proud.  
He lay in bed that night unable to fall asleep and for once it wasn't because of the nightmares he feared were waiting for him.

Hermione Granger arrived at work every morning a half hour early because she liked to. Simple as that. She made herself a cup of tea in her office, read a few letters that were on her desk when she got there, and wrote out her schedule for the day. At ten to nine, she made her way to go back down to the floo entrances to wait for her new partner.  
To her surprise, she bumped into him as he stepped off the elevator.  
"Malfoy! Good morning! I was just on my way down to get you."  
"Thank you, Granger, but I found my way all right. You weren't there when I came in and I didn't want to be late." He smiled at her and she immediately began to apologize.  
"I didn't know you'd be so early! I'm sorry-"  
"Granger?"  
Her wide eyes met his steel irises. "Yes?"  
"It's alright. Let's get to work."  
She was still staring at him. Five years could really change a person. He was much taller than she remembered; his shape filled out too. He looked like a man instead of the lanky boy who tortured her for so many years. His face was sharp with a cut jaw and cheekbones. His hair was as platinum as ever, styled in this messy look that was somehow neat and professional at the same time. But what had changed the most, she noted, were his eyes. They were softer, the years of war and pain visible around them. Seeing him for the first time, really seeing him since the war, she couldn't believe the person he shaped into.  
"Granger?"  
"Hmm?"  
He eyed her curiously. She looked like she was assessing something. To his delight, he realized almost a moment later that it was him. He smiled broadly at her, and for the second time since their reunion, he made her blush.

Work was going smoothly. He spent most of the day in her office instead of his own. She was showing him how she ran things and he was learning quickly. The morning had passed so suddenly that neither of them realized the time until a knock on her office door altered their attention.  
"Come in," she answered.  
Harry popped his head in, then entered and was quickly followed by Ron.  
"Looks like you two are getting along nicely," he commented, seeing them huddled close over her desk and a pile of papers.  
"So, it's true then. Malfoy working for the Ministry. Never thought I'd ever say that statement in my life." Ron waited for a sneer or nasty comment, but it never came.  
"Good to see you too, Weasley. I hear you're almost as good an Auror as Potter. How's your mother? Is she doing well?"

Ron's eyes almost fell out of his head. "Y-yeah, mum's fine. She hasn't stopped dancing around and smiling since she found out Ginny was pregnant."  
Harry elbowed his mate in the side.  
Draco looked to him with a brow raised. "I knew you were married, Potter, but I didn't know you were expecting too. Congratulations. Again."  
Ron looked at Harry like he couldn't believe what was happening.  
"Thanks. Again. We came to drag Hermione away for lunch. She'd skip the meal if we didn't stop by every day."  
She laughed at this. "He's actually right, you know. And since you didn't notice the time either, I'm glad they've come to collect us."  
Draco snapped his head toward her. "Us?"  
"Yes, silly. You've got to eat too."  
"Well, I wouldn't want to impose-"  
"Nonsense, Draco. The boys don't mind. Isn't that right?"  
Her two friends exchanged glances.  
"Yes," Harry decided, "we don't mind at all."  
She gave them a tight lipped smile before looking at him.  
"I told you. C'mon then. Better go so we can get back to work sooner." She was teasing; he chuckled. Satisfied, she motioned for him to follow after the boys left the room. He waited a moment first. He was having a hard time trying to figure out why she was being so nice to him. It would have to be something he came back to after lunch.

A meal with the Golden Trio. In the last two days he'd been checking off a lot of seemingly impossible things from a mental list. The two boys discussed a few things going on in their department and an upcoming meeting. She quietly ate and listened, looking at him once and a while to see if he was alright. When the conversation changed to quidditch, he perked right up and joined in. He glanced at her for a moment and saw a slight smile on her face. She was glad they were all getting along. When they finished, they parted ways civilly; the two boys even shook his hand.  
The walk back to their department was eerily silent. He watched her, taking in for the first time how much she too had grown up in five years. She was clearly a woman, curvy and shapely in a way others would kill to be. She had a soft face but her cheekbones were defined; there was the faintest hint of makeup present. She was beautiful, no doubt about it, and as they reached the door to her office he found himself wanting to tell her.  
She noticed him looking at her.  
"Everything alright?"  
He blinked away the need to tell her the truth. "Yes. Shall we continue?"  
He swore silently when she frowned for a second before smiling. It didn't reach her eyes.  
"Right. Perfect. Let's go."  
She showed him a few more things and then let him try on his own. He sat at her desk and went through the motions of checking the list of first years ready to be enrolled, updating that same list, and writing a report. The list changed every day until the end of June when the current Hogwarts school year ended. Her eyes were on him the entire time. He looked so serious, which in turn made him look... good.  
When he finished, she went around the side of the desk where he sat and leaned next to him to check over everything. He couldn't stop himself from inhaling her scent and noting that, at some point during their time together, her top blouse button had come undone. He could see the delicate curve of her neck and collar bone.  
"Well done! It's all brilliant." She looked at the small clock on her desk. "And it's nearly five! We can call it quits, Malfoy. Tomorrow, you're on your own. You'll be going over the course curriculums for each year. Sound fair?"  
He grinned at her, pretending not to be disappointed that she called him by his surname. "Whatever you say, boss."  
She smiled back, slightly flustered. "I'm not your boss, I'm your partner."  
He felt a boost in confidence, seeing her reddened face and sharp intakes of breath.  
"Well then, partner, I have to say it was a pleasure working with you today and that if you come to work every day at least half as beautiful as you look today, I'll arrive as early as I can and stay as late as I can. Good evening, Granger." He winked and left her behind, leaning back on her desk wondering what the hell had just happened and why she wanted him to say more things like that more often.

Stepping into his flat he let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Did he actually just flirt with Hermione Granger? What the fuck was happening? There was no chance she'd feel any type of way about him. He didn't save her. He was too cowardly to save her from the torment his aunt inflicted upon her. It was his fault really. If Bella hadn't noticed the way he was looking at her during the interrogation, the cursed word would have never been carved into her skin. He never spoke that word again, for show or not. He stopped believing in the shit his father promoted before Voldemort had turned his childhood home into a festering nest. Thinking back on it, he figured it was the moment she punched him. He hadn't felt dirty from her touch, just completely humiliated that he actually deserved it. From then on, he used that term for show, to protect himself and, ultimately, her. At least, that's what he thought back then.  
But, that was all over. They were in the here and now and he wanted to make things right. He didn't save her; he had wanted to be the one to save her and he fucking didn't. That could have been his moment to show her a true change, that he felt something for her. Now, he had to start fresh. If old school ridiculous flirting and compliments was what he had to do, then he would.

* * *

Two months. Two months passed with him working by her side, some days in his office and some in hers. Each day began with a short hello between them, a lunch with her friends, and some charming compliment toward her before he left to go home. One evening, he finished a little before her and poked his head through the open sliding door. "Well, I'm off. I'll see you in the morning, something I find myself looking forward to since Kingsley hired me." He winked, as usual, and then disappeared. She heard his office door close and footsteps go by.  
He was killing her. Every evening she cleaned up the papers she had worked on, straightened herself up, and left at 5:02, flustered and blushing all the while. That particular evening, she found herself dwelling on a memory that took her so long to forget. She had seen him reach in his robes while the crazed witch was on top of her, slicing that ugly word into her skin. She touched the spot absentmindedly. She knew he was thinking about saving her, taking it slow so he wouldn't be caught. She had seen him give up his wand almost willingly to Harry when they fought for it. But why? After all this time she was thinking about his actions. She never had a reason to until then. She stepped into a floo and without really thinking about it, she felt herself being propelled to the place she wanted to be.

A pan of cream sauce was simmering and box of pasta added itself to a pot of boiling water as he paced in the kitchen. He'd come home exhausted. The more he worked with her and complimented her, the more he wanted to pursue her. He was letting all the feelings he kept locked away run rapid with hopes that they got him somewhere. The thought was making him sweat. She was intimidating.  
He unbuttoned his Oxford completely before going back to his pacing. A wooden spoon floated over to stir the pot. Not a moment after, he heard the floo.  
Who in the bloody hell-  
Then the very subject of his thoughts rounded the corner.  
"Oh! Malfoy! This is your flat..."  
She was completely embarrassed.  
"Couldn't wait till morning to see me again, Granger?" he was smiling so charmingly at her that she shivered.  
"I'm so sorry. I really don't even know how I ended up here."  
"Well, since you're here you might as well stay for dinner. Famished?"  
That was when she noticed his shirt was completely unbuttoned. Years of quidditch definitely payed off.  
"Yes," she squeaked.  
He pulled a chair out for her and she didn't take her eyes off of him as he moved around the kitchen. He set the table almost gracefully, his open shirt floating like a cape behind him.  
The pot drained itself and the pan of sauce poured over the steaming pasta before floating over to the table, landing neatly on a towel in the middle.  
He sat down and winked in her direction.  
That was it.  
"Alright, Draco. What the hell is going on?"  
He raised a brow at her as he took her plate to fill it. "What do you mean?"  
"What do I mean? The winking, the flirting, the everything! I'm so- Thank you," she took her plate back, "As I was saying, I'm so perplexed by all of this. You just-"  
"Hermione. Eat your dinner."  
"Not until you tell me what's going on."  
"One bite, at least."  
Grumbling, she stabbed the pasta ferociously and shoved the fork into her mouth.  
"Gods, this is brilliant."  
"Good. Then eat more."  
She swallowed and slammed the fork down. "Please! Stop avoiding my questions. I need to know why, after five years, you come into my life and start driving me crazy!"  
He sighed. "Fine. Hermione," his eyes bore into hers, "five years ago I watched you scream and writhe on the floor of my childhood home. I was foolish enough to let my aunt figure out that I cared for you, she was so good at reading looks and glances, and was too slow to save you from her. I wanted to. I wanted to so badly be the one to save you. And I missed it. That could have been the one good thing I had done for you after everything I ever put you through and I fucking blew it. Do you want to know why I took Kingsley's offer? I didn't even know you were the head of the department, so that isn't why. I took his offer because he was giving me a chance to redeem myself and my family and I thought that if I could do that then someday I'd be able to tell you that I have felt for you for so long and that I am so sorry I wasn't fast enough to save you."  
She couldn't breathe. He felt for her? He was sorry for not being the one to save her? She was silent for a long time and he began to feel the blood rushing to his face in embarrassment.  
"So. Shall we finish our meal?"  
No response. He knew that calculating look on her face. He needed to just let her sort out whatever it was.  
"What do you feel for me," she whispered finally.  
"Well, affection. I'd like very much to care for you in more than a friendly manner."  
"Gods."  
He cleared his throat. "I understand if you have no interest in that, I just wanted to give you the answers you demanded."  
"Does your mother know?"  
"Really? All the questions to ask and you come up with that? Okay, uh, yes. She's known for a long time."  
"How long is a long time, Draco?" She was up from the table, pacing.  
"Since fourth year?"  
"Ha! Fourth year! That's lovely. So, so she knew? She knew when we were brought- Okay."  
"I owled her after the Yule ball. I came to terms with my affections for you then and told her, I wanted her advice."  
"And she said?"  
"To keep my distance for your safety. And I agreed-"  
"I need to go," she cut him off.  
"But-"  
"I know. I know, I'm the one that showed up here, simply from thinking about you in the floo and the bite of dinner I had was delicious, please bring me some to work tomorrow to have for lunch. I got the answers I needed and now I just have to go."  
She went to pass his chair to go back to his fireplace and he grabbed her wrist.  
"Please, stay."  
Their eyes locked and she could see that the pain there was from his assumption of her rejection. She leaned down and kissed his cheek.  
"I can't. I'll see you tomorrow."  
And then she was gone.

She disapperated to her flat, her breathing uneven. Should she really test to see if everything was true, that he did what he did to prevent her from further torment? That he felt for her? She considered going out with him for a moment.  
 _Impossible_.  
Her friends would die. Or kill him.  
Although, they are all getting along quite nicely at work...  
There was a part of her, she didn't know how big or small, that possibly liked the man he had become. He wasn't the same person and he was nice looking. He had a job, ambitions, and good looks-  
 _Stop it. You listed that twice. You are not a silly school girl._  
He had the qualities she had been looking for in a romantic partner; intelligent, challenging, charming, excellent taste in reading material, good looking-  
 _DAMNIT, GIRL, GET A GRIP._  
A frustrated sigh and many laps around her living room later, she decided she would let him take her out when he asked. If he asked. Maybe she shouldn't have just left the way she did...  
 _Nonsense. Get it together, Granger. You'll see him in the morning._  
She went to sleep after hours of over thinking every possible scenario that popped into her mind.

He arrived the next morning promptly at nine, instead of fifteen minutes early like he had been since he began the job. Her office door was open, as if she was beckoning him to stop by first. He knocked on the door frame and she looked up from the paper in her hand.  
She stood up instantly. "Good morning, Draco."  
"Granger," he nodded. He then placed Tupperware on the corner of her desk.  
"Last night's dinner, just like you asked. Send over what needs to be done. I'll see you for lunch."  
He walked through the open sliding door and she watched him sit down. Not five minutes later, he was back.  
"Will you have dinner with me tonight? It's Friday and you can't use getting up early for work as an excuse-"  
"Yes!" she blurted and covered her mouth.  
He smiled so hard it looked like it hurt. "Good. Eight this evening? My flat? You know the way, don't you?"  
She picked up the hint of lust in his tone at that last bit. Blush immediately invaded her face and he winked.  
They looked at each other through the sliding door the entire day. She had never known she even had the capability of feeling like a giddy little girl over a date. He too was looking forward to it.  
At five o'clock, they left the office together and made their way to the floo.  
"Lunch was lovely; I should have stayed last night."  
"If you had stayed, you would have gotten more than just a good meal," he teased.  
"Malfoy!"  
He held up his hands. "What? I was talking about a glass of the finest wine I had to offer. Gods, Granger. What kind of man do you take me for?"  
She granted him a laugh and he felt something in him tug at the sound. He held onto it for a moment.  
"See you at eight?"  
"Absolutely."

She appeared in his living room dressed in a simple black strapless cocktail dress and black 4 inches with thin straps. A thin sheer shawl hung around her shoulders in an attempt to distract him from the fact that it was backless.  
"Curse you, Ginny."  
Her steps clicked and when she came around the corner, he was waiting with a smile.  
He reveled in the fact that she wore the same subtle makeup she did to work, only the deep red lipstick was new. Her hair was down but the light in the room flickered off her small dangled earrings; same color as her lipstick.  
She smiled back. He was in black dress pants and a fresh white Oxford, all tucked in with a belt. She recalled what was underneath and her face began to heat.  
"You look beautiful."  
"Thank you. So, what are we doing?"  
"This evening will consist of a three course meal at a new French bistro and a trip to Hogs Meade after."  
"Sounds lovely."  
He held out his arm and led her to the front door.  
"The bistro is just a few short blocks away from here, past the Leaky Cauldron. We'll double back after to disapparate."  
"Lead the way."  
They made small talk on the way, discussing their hobbies and little known facts about each other. He held the door for her when they reached the restaurant. Once seated, he ordered them a bottle of red wine.  
"This is so nice, Draco. I never imagined that I'd be out with you."  
"I'm glad you said yes." His smile was dazzling as he held his glass of wine toward her.  
The glasses clinked.  
"To us, and hopefully more evenings like this."  
"Keep complimenting me and saying things like that and there will be." she winked.  
His breath caught and desire flashed in his eyes so quickly that she would have missed it if she wasn't staring so intensely.  
 _The forwardness is from the dress. Curse you, Ginerva._  
They ate and laughed all through dinner. She didn't know being out with him would be so easy.  
He didn't know being out with her would be so difficult. His desire to kiss her was growing stronger every time she laughed or spoke passionately about something.  
After dinner, he guided her through the Leaky Cauldron and into Diagon Ally. He grabbed her hand and took them to Hogs Meade. When they arrived, they strolled until he stopped in front of Honeydukes; she wrinkled her brow in confusion.  
"Draco-"  
"Just go in and start gathering all the sweets you like."  
So, she did. He trailed her, never taking his eyes off her. For a moment, they were fourteen again on a school trip.  
When she finished, he paid and then on the way to the apperation point, he ran into the Three Broomsticks for a bottle of Fire Whiskey.  
"My flat?"  
"Sure. Draco, why the candy?"  
"Just because."  
Then they disappeared.

Slurred laughter filled his flat; the candy bag was empty and the bottle he'd bought for them was half gone. She somehow had ended up on the floor between the coffee table and the couch, her shawl in a ball somewhere in the kitchen with his belt.  
"That was an awful year! Harry was obsessed with proving you were doing no good."  
He sighed, but his smile never faltered. "He was right, though."  
"That isn't the point," she huffed, "You and that damn potions book were the only things he cared about. And Ginny. I'd like to point out, I defended you."  
"And why did you do that?"  
She crawled toward him and put herself between his legs, her hands on his thighs.  
"Because I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt."  
"I appreciate that."  
When she realized the way she was positioned, she immediately looked away from him.  
"I'm sorry, I'm not normally this forward."  
In a swift moment, he lifted her into his lap, forcing her legs to be on either side of his.  
"You're not being forward. This is forward."  
One hand behind her head, fingers knotted in her curls, he pulled her closer and kissed her forcefully.  
All the time he tortured her with compliments and winks and shameless flirting was put behind as she kissed him back. It was everything she thought it would be, even more for him. The tension between them was finally finding its way out.  
His other hand began to roam her body, caressing her bare back, and was rewarded with a slight groan. She pulled away and wordlessly his Oxford unbuttoned in one motion. Taking the opportunity, she ran her hands greedily all over the chest she'd been thinking about for weeks.  
"Impressive, Granger," referring to her magic.  
"You don't need to flatter me, Malfoy. I'm most definitely going to have sex with you." The top button and zipper of his slacks opened as she ended her sentence.  
"Now you're being forward. Thank Gods."  
His hands went to the front of her dress and he yanked it down to her waist. It was now just a band of black around her middle and he was awestruck at her breasts.  
"Are you just going to stare?"  
"Ha!" and he took her left nipple into his mouth. She bucked against him and he was eternally grateful his pants were undone.  
She didn't let it show, but somewhere a small voice in her head was worrying about the events unfolding. He had gained a reputation when they were in school, she had only done anything remotely close to or actual sex with two people. And never, ever did she want to have sex on the first date.  
Her interactions with men usually never lasted for more than one date. She was empowered and strong, successful and determined; most men feared her. But Draco matched her. He wasn't afraid of all she had accomplished and wanted to still achieve. He admired her confidence and power; he shared it equally with her. It drew her in and the reaction she was getting from him before they even reached his bedroom was enough to silence the voice.  
After a few moments she whispered confidently, "Take me to bed."  
He thought he had died.  
Legs wrapped around him, she was carried into the bedroom and plopped onto the bed. He pulled her dress off completely and finally noticed her lacey thong was a deep green.  
"For me? Hermione, you shouldn't have."  
She grinned. "But I did."  
He tossed off his shirt and his pants in time to see her reaching for the straps of her shoes.  
"No. Leave those."  
"Oh? Is that a kink of yours?" She practically purred and he couldn't wait to pound her senselessly.  
"So?" he challenged.  
She slowly shimmied out of her thong and dropped it on the floor. "So, that means you'll honor one of mine?"  
He was at the edge of the bed now, right between her legs. "That seems fair. What's your kink?"  
"Choke me"  
"Fucking hell, you might actually kill me tonight."  
She sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Good."  
And that was it. There was no going back; she was so ready for this is that her eagerness would have scared her if she wasn't so aroused. He loved her; he was absolutely sure of it now and prayed to the Gods that she had at least half of the feelings to return. He lifted her again and slammed them both further back onto the bed before ramming himself into her. She gasped for only a second, and then moaned erotically. He put one hand at the base of her throat, the other on her hip, and squeezed. The heels were digging into him when she used her legs to pull him closer and the pain felt so good.  
The fire between them was roaring; neither had felt such a connection with another person before. This wasn't just sex, this was two broken souls mending and twisting together. One fucked up, seen too much, hidden too much soul.  
She was loudly rasping his name still, finding herself so lost in all that he was, and he fucked her as hard as he could, taking how good she felt around him as she came. Their eye contact never broke.  
He was getting closer and she could sense it. His grunts and throaty moans were getting sporadic. She reached her own hand down to rub at her swollen clit and commanded, "watch while you fuck me."  
He didn't like to be told what to do, but he more than happily obliged and stared while she touched herself, never changing pace. Finally he felt her walls pulsing harder than before and she gushed all over him. That was it. He came so hard he was seeing spots and she was saying his name in a chant.  
Falling forward, he laid his head on her shoulder without crushing her with his weight.  
"Wow", he breathed against her skin.  
"Yes. I agree."  
He rolled off to be beside her. They just stared at each other for a while. She wanted to tell him that she felt something, that she wanted to see what could become of them; he wanted to say he was so ridiculously in love with her that it took everything in his being not to shout it out when he came.  
Silently, a warming sensation formed in her lower belly, an after sex spell she had read once and knew worked.  
"Would you like to stay the night?" he finally blurted.  
"Are you going to cook me breakfast in the morning?"  
"Of course."  
"Then yes. I'll stay."  
Her shoes finally came off, they moved under the sheets and she curled into his side. They said goodnight, kissed sweetly, and settled into a calming sleep.

The next morning she woke up to the smell of bacon and an empty bed. After using his bathroom to freshen up, she slipped on his discarded Oxford and left the top two buttons undone.  
She found him in the kitchen sipping coffee and reading the Daily Prophet at the table wearing only his boxers while breakfast was magically cooking.  
He looked up over the paper.  
"Whenever you are here, please only wear my shirts. I'm begging you."  
She laughed and kissed his cheek when she reached him. "Only because you asked so nicely."  
After breakfast, he took her on the kitchen counter while the dishes were washing themselves. All too soon, she was wearing her clothes from the night before and he was asking her to stay longer.  
"I can't. I want to, I really do. I have late lunch plans with Ginny. She'll be waiting."  
He pouted and she wanted him to take her against the wall she was leaning on. She walked into his floo.  
"Here," her lace thong was flying toward him and his quidditch reflexes sprang into action, "you can keep those."  
She winked and disappeared in the flames.

When Hermione stepped through her floo, She was immediately attacked with questions from her flaming haired, and very pregnant, friend. As she suspected, Ginny was already awaiting her.  
"Where have you been, Hermione Jean? Are you still wearing the dress you borrowed? Did you sleep there? Wait, better yet, did you sleep with him? Gods, I know you did! Was it everything we heard in school? Was it better?"  
"Ginny!"  
Her wild friend was wickedly grinning. "You haven't answered any of my questions."  
"You haven't given me the chance to walk fully into my flat. Relax; I will answer all of your questions, within reason, over lunch."  
"Fine. Hurry up, then!"

She changed quickly into a tee-shirt and jeans, then wiped her face clean of the previous night's makeup. The two walked to a small café near her flat. Once they grabbed a table and were served, Hermione knew she couldn't keep quiet for much longer.

Ginny was taken through the evening step by step and spared of the erotic details, though, much to Hermione's dismay, she begged for them.

"So are you gonna go out with him again?"

"I'd like to. I really like him, Gin. He's so…"

"Different?"

"Grown up. He's a man now. And…"

Ginny leaned in. "And?"

"He- he loves me. Has loved me. For a long time."

"Good Godric. When did he tell you that?"

"When I barged into his flat after work-"

"You did what?!"

Hermione blushed. "I flooed to his flat without realizing and I questioned his flirting."

"I cannot believe you, YOU, did that. Who are you and what have you done with my friend?"

They laughed together. "Ginny, I was so angry. But, he confessed he's loved me since we were children. He even told me he regrets not saving me from his aunt. He was too afraid, for the both of us. He said it haunts him."

"Oy, I might die from how disgustingly romantic this all is."

"Oh! Stop it. In all seriousness, I definitely want a second date. He makes me feel things, good things. And for once, I'm not afraid or questioning feeling them."

"Well then! That's a good thing!"

The rest of their lunch consisted of how Ginny was coming along in her pregnancy and mindless chatter about Hermione's organization of the upcoming Hogwarts year. Summer was coming to an end.

They walked back to Hermione's flat for tea and then Ginny left through her floo. Once alone, Hermione sighed and glanced at digital clock on her stove.

 _Only half passed three?_

She decided to sit on the sofa and read.

The moment she opened her book, she heard someone come through her fireplace.

"Forget something, Gin?"

"You know, you really should look up when people enter a room."

Her heart fluttered and she met his smiling eyes. "Draco."

He approached her spot. "I'm serious, Hermione. I could have been someone who wanted to harm you."

She rolled her eyes. "Are you here to harm me?"

He pulled the book from her loose grip and then took her hands, pulling her up from the couch.

"Well," he started, looking back for a moment to find her bedroom and then started pulling her in the direction, "I'm not here to treat you tenderly."

"Is that so?"

"Gods, yes."

He pushed the door the rest of the way open with his foot and backed into the room, her following him. Not even a second later they were in her bed and he was in no way gentle with her. When they finished, she didn't want to move from the bed. He raised an eyebrow and the blissful expression that had fallen over her face. She noticed.

"What?"

"Why do you look like that?"

"Because you never cease to amaze me."

He gathered her in his arms and she yelped playfully.

"I love you, Hermione. You know that now, right?"

"Of course. I believed you when you told me…"

"And have you decided how you feel about me?"

She smiled and touched his face gently. "I know that I am not afraid of whatever this is that I'm feeling. I trust in it and I trust in you. With all my heart, I want to see where this takes us."

He pulled her closer and kissed her deeply. "You make me the happiest I've ever been and you saying that makes me the luckiest man on the planet."

"Oh stop it." She was blushing so hard it actually hurt.

* * *

"Would you hurry up, Granger? We're going to miss the entire bloody thing."

The Hogwarts year had ended and they, like all other ministry workers, were invited to attend the annual ball Hogwarts held in honor of those lost in the battle and the rebuilding of the school.

"Oh! So now I'm Granger again?"

He turned to give her a snarky reply and choked on it. She was in a brilliant emerald A-line gown; sweetheart neck, glittering gems on the bodice, and the skirt covered in intricate lace. Her curls were piled onto her head and a silver and green jeweled clip was on the left side. One stubborn curl fell beside her right cheek. Her eye makeup was simple, like always, with just a hint of silver shadow and her lips coated in that brilliant red he loved so much, especially when she stained kisses on his alabaster skin.

She noticed him gawking at her.

"What's the matter now?"

"N-nothing." He closed the gap between them and kissed her cheek. "You look absolutely stunning."

"Hush, Draco. You say that every time I get even just a little dressed up."

He rested his hands on either side of her waist. "That's because it's true. You're always beautiful though, even when you're not a little dressed up. Tonight, you look like a queen. And to be quite honest," he moved one hand up her side, making her shiver, and leaned closer to her face, "if it were up to me, I'd have you out of that dress and on the bed right now."

He trailed kisses up her neck.

"Draco," she whispered, "we really need to go."

He pulled back, gave her a pouty look, and she slapped his chest lightly. "Don't give me that. I promise that when we get back, you can do whatever you'd like." She leaned into him again. "I'll even let you rip the dress."

His eyes gleamed. "I'm gonna take you up on that. Now, before we go," he reached inside his robes and revealed to her a flat black velvet box.

"What on earth is that?"

"Your jewelry for the evening." He opened it with a proud smile. A pewter colored, thin, short chain with a round emerald pendent shined brightly in the light of her living room, as did the matching dangly earrings in the center of the box.

"Draco-"

"Before you say _anything_ , they are _not_ too extravagant and you _can_ accept such a gift. You are my girl. In fact, I wish you'd let me shower you with gifts like this and the gown you're wearing all the time. But, because you're my girl, I _know_ you don't really like those kinds of things so when I do it once in a while because _I_ want to, just let me. Okay?"

She said nothing, just smiled that adoring smile at him and let him put the jewelry on her.

After, he offered her his arm and the apperated to the grounds outside the castle. Once inside, they found Harry, Ginny, and Ron. They all exchanged hellos.

"How's little James?"

"He's doing great! Mum is probably fattening him up as we speak."

Just then, McGonagall stood at a podium at the front of the room.

"Another school year has ended, another class has graduated, and another year has come and gone where we are so eternally grateful for those who lost their lives fighting to protect our world. This night is to honor and remember all those who helped defeat the Dark Lord, alive and dead, and to those who helped us rebuild our home to its former glory. Please eat, drink, dance, and celebrate!"

Food and drinks appeared buffet style on a table so long enough that it took up the entirety of the wall along the left side of the room. Music began to play and everyone resumed their chatter. As people began to move toward the food, Hermione noticed Ron, Harry, Ginny, and Draco exchange glances.

"What's going on?"

Ginny gave her a warm smile. "What do you mean, Mione?"

She squinted angrily at the lot of them.

"Well I'm starving," Ron blurted nervously, "Can we make a move toward the food before it's all gone?"

Hermione stepped to walk in the direction her friends were headed when she was pulled back and slammed into a hard chest.

"Come with me for a minute." Draco's breath tickled her ear. She let him lead her from the room and out onto the grounds. They ended up by a wall that looked over the black lake. The moon was so round and stars splattered the sky. She leaned against the stones to get a better look.

"It's so pretty," she muttered in awe.

He was behind her again, his hands playing with the bow at the base of her corset.

"Not as pretty as you."

She looked back at him. "So sappy."

"And?"

She turned completely around and his hands once again found themselves on either side of her waist. "And I adore you," she confessed.

"Good, because I adore you too. I love you, Hermione."

"I love you too, Draco. What's wrong?"

He smiled down at her. "Nothing is wrong. In fact, everything is right. So right, that I couldn't have even imagined it to be better. I love you so much, and have loved you for so long. When I found out I'd be working with you, I thought only of the worst possible scenario. But, you gave me a chance and allowed me to show you that I am different and that I care so much for you. I could never have imagined that things would end up the way they did and here we are, months later, and I need you to know that I love you, more than I have ever loved anyone or anything in my entire life. You make me so incredibly happy and my only goal, for the rest of my life, is to make you the happiest you can be, if you'll let me."

He stooped to the ground and she couldn't breathe for a moment. He lifted his hand to her and pulled back the lid to the small red box he pulled from his trouser pocket.

"Please, Hermione, let me."

At last, she looked down at the box. The ring inside was like something she'd never seen; a white gold band, a square shaped emerald in the middle, and two smaller square diamonds, one on either side of the center. It was simple enough for her, extravagant enough for him to be satisfied if she accepted.

"Oh, Draco, I love you too, so much. You already make me so happy, that I don't need you to make me happier. I just _need_ you."

"So yes?"

"Yes, you prat. Yes!"

He jumped up and pressed his lips to hers. When the kiss ended, they were both grinning like fools at each other. Without breaking eye contact, he slipped the ring on her finger and put the box back in his pocket.

"It's so lovely, Draco. Perfectly simple and breath taking."

"I knew you'd like it."

"Because you know me."

He kissed her again. "I do."

"Aren't you supposed to say that at the wedding?"

He rolled his eyes. "That was lame, Granger, even for you."

"Whatever, _Malfoy_. Let's go back inside. I'm sure Ginny is dying to see the ring."

"That will be your name soon enough, you know"

The smiles between them were unwavering as they went back inside. She didn't think she'd find someone who wasn't afraid of her, and never did she expect Draco Malfoy would end up being the man for her. He was her absolutely equal in intelligence and wit, and he sometimes challenged her. He was all she ever wanted in a partner.

He never thought he'd end up with her, even in his wildest dreams. In more ways than he could count, she was too good for the likes of him. But, her goodness yet again struck him dumbfounded when she decided to give him the chance to prove himself truly different than from what she knew. He was finally at peace, no more restless nights caused by echoing screams in the dark.


End file.
